Growing consensus and challenges regarding a greenhouse climate.
1989
Bach W.
Fossil fuel combustion, synthetic chemical production, biomass burning, and forest and soil destruction are the major activities through which human contribute to the perturbation of the trace gas composition of the atmosphere. An important consequence of this is the modification of the radiation budget (what has become known as the greenhouse climate), with potentially far-reaching impacts on ecosystems, food production, water resources, sea level, etc. There is a growing realization that mankind is faced, not with a CO2 problem alone, but rather with major global trace gas problem, which is fueled by many local sources and decisions. The climatic impacts are felt worldwide, especially in the developing countries. It is now clear that a certain degree of climatic change is inevitable given man's past and present activities. This has led not to inaction but to a growing consensus that only concerted action can help solve mankind's major environmental challenges: climatic change; the threat to the ozone shield; and the destruction of forest, soil, and genetic, resources, and hence, endangerment of food security. The consensus grows that people must follow a two-pronged safety strategy: conduct vigorous research to narrow uncertainties in our knowledge and at the same time, use the information available to take precautionary measures. This paper briefly reviews the current consensus on the greenhouse climate, the uncertainties, the potential impacts, and the required actions.
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